Presents Under the Tree
by 0Twisted-Symphony6
Summary: It's Christmas in the Spencer house! A collection of oneshots revolving around the Shules family Christmas throughout the years!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **All of these will include the family from the Babies on the Brain/Way-verse. You don't necessarily have to read those to understand this, but Babie(s) on the Way does establish this family.****

**Presents Under the Tree**

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><p>Juliet shoved the last present under the tree, just barely managing to fit it under without <em>completely<em> blocking the pathway to walk around it.

Sighing, she plopped down on the couch next to Shawn, grabbing a cookie from the platter Zoey and Zach had put out for Santa.

"Santa's tired," Juliet commented, taking a bite of the reindeer-shaped snickerdoodle.

Shawn nodded in agreement, grabbing Juliet's hand and bringing it to his mouth so he could steal a bite of her cookie.

"Hey!"

"This Santa is tired too. He deserves snickerdoodles just as much as you do."

"Why did we wait so long to wrap presents?" Jules groaned, glancing at the clock and noticing the bright red numbers telling her it was twelve fifteen. "We told ourselves last year that we would get this all done early and not be exhausted Christmas morning."

"We lied," Shawn offered in explanation. As he stared at his wife, he smiled. Even when she was tired, she was gorgeous; her blonde hair was falling from its position pinned on the back of her head.

Shawn diverted his eyes from Jules and turned them to look at their tree. "It's going to be worth it, seeing their faces light up."

Juliet nodded in agreement, grasping Shawn's hand in her own. "Last year was fun, but they're nearly two years old now, so they'll understand the concept of Christmas much more. A year ago, we had to help them open the presents. I think this year they'll be able to do it on their own."

Shawn thought back to their first Christmas with the twins. Zoey, who was a daddy's girl, had sat in Shawn's lap as he helped her unwrap her presents. Zach didn't like sitting on his parents' laps, but Juliet had sat directly across from him as he opened his gifts.

Juliet had always enjoyed Christmas, but nothing made her as happy as seeing her children's faces light up at the simple concept of tearing wrapping paper off.

Leaning her head against her husband's shoulder, Juliet smiled. "I love Christmas."

Shawn placed a kiss on her temple before reaching for the remote and turning on _It's A Wonderful Life_.

• • •

As Juliet's eyes slowly opened, she flipped over nestling herself between her husband's arm and chest which she draped her arm across. "Morning," she whispered, her voice husky from sleep.

Shawn slowly came to, glancing down at the beautiful woman in his arms. "Hey. Merry Christmas."

Juliet leaned up and softly kissed Shawn. "I'm glad the twins aren't old enough to come into our room to wake us up on Christmas morning yet. We got to sleep in," Juliet commented as she saw the clock read 9:25.

"We should go wake up the munchkins," Shawn suggested.

"Mm, not yet," Jules replied, living the warmth that was radiating from Shawn's body. "Just a few more minutes."

Shawn kissed the top of his wife's blonde hair and tightened his grip around her body. "I love you," he whispered.

Juliet smiled against Shawn's chest, knowing she didn't need to say anything back for Shawn to realize how much she loved him.

After ten minutes of silence, the two of them enjoying just being close to each other, Juliet smiled. "Okay, munchkin time."

Climbing from the warm bed, Juliet wrapped herself in a thick robe before rummaging through her drawer to find their camera.

"You wake them, I'll record them coming down the hall," Shawn suggested as they exited their bedroom, to which Jules nodded.

Peering into her toddlers' bedroom, Juliet smiled. They were sound asleep in their new jammies that they'd received the night before, each nestled in their "big boy" and "big girl" beds.

"Guess what day it is!" Juliet announced, her voice pulling her children from their sleep. They looked around sleepily and noticed their mommy standing in the door and their eyes brightened.

"Cwismuss!" Zach exclaimed, climbing down to the foot of his bed where there was no railing and scooting down to the floor.

"Cwismuss!" Zoey echoed, getting out of bed in the same way her brother had.

Juliet beamed as she watched her children, who ran over to each other and began chattering away in their broken sentences which she could only understand pieces of.

"Daddy's in the hallway with the camera. Are you ready to go see what Santa brought?"

"YEAH, SANTA!" they both screamed.

"Let's go, then!"

Juliet walked behind her kids as Shawn taped them, capturing their priceless expressions when their eyes caught the mound of presents under the tree.

Zach's face looked strikingly like Shawn's when he was excited, which Zoey's nose scrunched with her smile in the same way Juliet's did.

"Pwesents!" Zoey screeched, taking off toward the pile, trying to rip open the first package she saw.

"Hey, Zo, you have to wait for Mommy and Daddy to hand you the presents, sweetheart," Shawn told his daughter gently. "Santa put names on them. That one is for your brother."

Zoey looked thoroughly disappointed as her daddy reached down to keep her from continuing to open the gift, but Zach looked ecstatic as he realized that the present was for him.

Juliet rushed a present out from under the free for Zoey, handing it to her at the same time Shawn handed Zach's to him.

They tore apart the paper like little monsters, but their faces looked like angels as they noticed the gifts they had received. Zoey had gotten a Tickle-Me-Elmo, while Zach got an electronic drum set that had the Sesame Street characters adorning the sides.

Their excitement for those particular gifts were short-lived, however, as they quickly tossed them to the side, ready for another present.

Juliet and Shawn both laughed at their kids, before looking under the tree for another gift for each of them.

As the kids waited, they tossed the torn wrapping paper at each other, giggling as they did so.

Juliet made eye contact with her husband from the other side of the tree. They both smiled, enjoying the laughter of their beautiful children on Christmas morning.

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><p><strong>AN: My parents always stay up _way_ too late wrapping presents...then they watch _It's a Wonderful Life_. Also, the "big girl/boy" beds I described have partial railings so they don't fall off, but can be removed later when they get older. I had one of those beds when I was little. I don't remember how old I was, but I figure I was around 2.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **

Yay, more Christmas! :D

P.S. I apologize because I don't spend much time around 4 year olds. I don't know quite how they talk...

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><p>The door creaked open slightly as two tiny, pajama-clad figures snuck through the small space.<p>

"Ow, Zoey!"

"Shh, Zach! We don' wanna wake Mommy and Daddy til we get in da bed!"

A smile crept onto Juliet's face, her eyes still shut tightly, as she listened to her twins conversing, who hadn't realized they had woken her up with the sound of the door opening.

"C'mon, climb up, Zach!" Jules head her nearly four year-old daughter order her brother.

"I'm toming!" he replied, annoyed.

Juliet felt the bed shift as an additional seventy pounds was added to the surface, crawling around on top.

"Mommy!" Zach called as he went toward Juliet, shaking her to wake her up, not knowing she had been awake.

"Wake up, Daddy!" Zoey yelled to Shawn as she bounced onto his stomach.

"Oof," Shawn groaned as the weight of the little girl's body hit him in full force. "I'm up," he continued, out of breath from the blow. "Is there something special about today?"

"Chwismas!" the twins screamed together.

"It's Chwismas, Daddy!" Zoey informed.

"It is?" Juliet inquired, playing along. "Oh, no, did we get you presents?"

"YES, Mommy!" Zoey cried, tugging on Juliet's sleeve.

"Shawn, honey, did we buy presents?"

"Just the coal," he replied with a smirk. "That's a shame, isn't it, kids? Just the coal for Christmas."

"No, Santa bwought us presents too!" Zach countered, a slight pour on his face.

Juliet put her hand on her son's head before leaning down and kissing the top of his white blonde hair.

Shawn reached down to scoop Zoey up and throw her upside down over his shoulder, her dark brown hair hanging down across Shawn's back.

"We're just kidding, guys. We got you presents," Juliet assured. "Let me get the camera and then we'll go see what Santa brought!"

"I knew it!" Zach called out.

Juliet grabbed the camera which they had taken out in preparation for Christmas morning and moved toward the door.

"Okay, you ready?" Shawn placed Zoey back on the floor.

"Yeah!"

"Go!" Shawn cried out.

Four little feet padded across the floor, rushing toward the Christmas tree.

"Dis one is for me," Zoey called out, reading her name on the tag. She looked back under the tree and pulled out another gift. "Here, Zach. Dis is yors."

Juliet smiled at her daughter who always seemed to take charge of everything. She was the loud one of the twins, always making a spectacle of everything, just like her father.

Growing up as the youngest and the only girl, Juliet had never been quiet in her home life, but in public situations, she had been more timid.

Zachary had seemed to accept by this point that Zoey was in charge. Unlike his mother, he did not try to get more attention than he was being given. He took after her more quiet side, nothing like Shawn in that way.

"Zoey, you can open that, but remember, Mommy and Daddy get to pass out the presents," Shawn told his daughter.

Zoey nodded, but wasn't really paying attention as she tore the wrapping paper off her present. "Swan Princess Barbie!" she cried.

Zach continued to rip the paper off his gift in a slower, more methodical manner. His face lit up as he saw the Tonka truck. "I got a truck!" He started to rip the box open to get to it, but Juliet stopped him, telling him that they'd open the boxes once they were done with all the other presents.

Shawn and Jules peaked under the tree, trying to spot a good gift to give each of the kids next.

"Mommy," Zach whispered, tugging on the leg of Juliet's pajamas, "can I have that one?" Zach pointed to a large box covered in Santa-adorned wrapping paper.

"Not yet, Zachy. That's for you and your sister to share. We'll get to that one later."

Zach frowned and nodded, sitting back on the floor to wait for one of his parents to hand him a present.

Mommy and Daddy continued to hand out presents, occasionally stopping and opening one themselves. Most of them were labeled as from "Santa."

Zoey clung to her father's leg as she suddenly became very interested in the present he was unwrapping.

"Daddy, what is it?"

"I don't know, Zo. Why don't I open it and find out?"

Zoey nodded as Shawn shook the square box then began tearing off the paper. "What is it? What is it?"

"It's a Magic Eight Ball," Shawn explained, taking it out of the box. "You ask it a question, shake it, then it tells you an answer."

"Ooh, I wanna see it, Daddy! Can I try it _please_?"

Shawn laughed as he handed it to his daughter who shook it excitedly.

"You have to ask the question first, Zo," Juliet told Zoey.

"Will I get a pony?" Zoey watched as the answer "cannot predict now" came up. Juliet let out a breath she had been holding in, feeling relieved at the non-committal answer. "What does that say, Daddy?"

"It says 'cannot predict now.' Sorry, sweetheart. Looks like now's not a good time to ask Mr. Eight Ball."

Zoey nodded and turned back toward the tree as she eagerly got back into present-opening mode. Juliet handed one present to Zach and then one to Zoey and watched as they tore the paper apart.

Twenty minutes later, all presents had been opened except for two. There was the large box that was for both Zoey and Zach and a small bag that Juliet had hid that was intended for Shawn.

"Can we open it now, Mommy?" Zach asked softly, looking up at Juliet with his big green eyes.

"Yeah, let's open it! Please?"

Juliet slid the box out from under the tree and toward the twins. They stood from the floor to start unwrapping the present. The box was almost as tall as they were.

Zoey dug her fingernails into the wrapping paper and began tearing it off quickly. Zach took a piece once it was started and joined his sister in the process. Their eyes went wide as they saw the picture on the box.

"Twamp'line!" Zach shouted uncharacteristically loudly. "Twamp'line, Zoey!"

"Is it in there?" Zoey asked, her little fingers trying to open the cardboard to see inside.

"Actually," Juliet started, "why don't you guys look outside?"

The twins ran to the window that overlooked the backyard. "It s'out dere!" Zach cried excitedly, rushing toward the door.

"Not so fast, munchkins," Shawn spoke, scooping his son into his arms and grabbing Zoey's hand. "Go get your coats and shoes."

The kids scurried to their room, quickly returning with their coats on but not zipped and shoes on but laces not tied.

Shawn kneeled to tie his son's shoes before zipping up his coat. Juliet did the same for Zoey who could hardly stand still because she was trying to run out the door.

"Okay, go on," Juliet told her kids, watching as they rushed out into the backyard like cheetahs.

Shawn and Juliet followed their children toward their new trampoline.

"Dis is so cool!" Zoey exclaimed. "Daddy, can you pick me up?" Shawn picked up his daughter with one arm and unzipped the enclosure with the other before letting her crawl inside. He then picked Zach up and put him up before zipping the netting up so the kids wouldn't fall out.

"I have another present for you," Juliet whispered to Shawn, pulling the small bag out from behind her back.

"Another? I thought we were done, Jules."

"Just open it," Juliet replied with a smile.

Shawn pulled the colored tissue paper out of the bag and reached in, grabbing the white tissue paper covered object. Pulling away the last of the tissue paper, Shawn saw a small, red piece of fabric. Unfolding it, he noticed it was a long sleeved onesie, with a picture of two cookies and a glass of milk, which read "for Santa not Daddy." Shawn stared at the small piece of clothing, his eyes going wide.

"Jules?" he asked, looking up to make eye contact with his wife. A growing smile was covering his face.

Tears were forming in Juliet's eyes as she nodded, answering the question that Shawn hadn't actually asked.

They were pulled out of their brief reveille when Zoey noticed Shawn had another present.

"Daddy, what'd you get?" she called out. She noticed the onesie and got excited. "Is that for my new dolly?"

Juliet laughed. "No, sweetheart. Zach, come here, buddy." Zach stopped bouncing and came to the edge of the trampoline nearest to his parents.

"This isn't for you baby doll, Zo," Juliet started, pointing to the onesie. "In a few months, you guys are going to have a little baby brother or sister." Juliet put her hand on her stomach. "Mommy's going to have a baby."

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><p><strong>AN: Here's the onesie :) http : / www .target. com /p/Just-One-You-by-Carter-s-Newborn-Long-Sleeve-For-Santa-Bodysuit-Red/-/A-13576349**


	3. Chapter 3

PUT 3

"Zach, it's not that bad. You only have to wear it for a few minutes to take the picture."

"It's itchy, Daddy," Zach argued, pulling at the neck of his shirt that he was wearing under his red sweater vest.

At just shy of five years old, Zach had started to get more talkative. He wasn't as shy as he used to be. He still wasn't a vocal as his sister, who was two minutes his senior, but he held his own.

Zach started to pull his sweater over his head, catching Zoey's attention. "Daddy, if Zach gets to take his vest off, then I don't have to wear these tights! I don't like the way they cling to my legs. I wasn't to be _free_ under my dress!"

Shawn wrestled the vest back onto his son and turned to Zoey, his eyes wide at his daughter's words. "There will be no freedom under your dress, **_ever_**, under any circumstances."

"Is Kaelyn wearing tights? If she's not wearing tights, then I'm not either!"

"Kae's wearing tights too, honey," Juliet answered, walking into the room holding her four month-old daughter who was sporting an adorable red dress with sparkly white tights. "See, here they are. They look just like yours."

"Mommy, you're not wearing a dress!" Zoey shot back at her mother, who was wearing khaki pants with a red Christmas sweater, looking for some reason to be able to take off her outfit. She did not like dresses, and she definitely didn't like wearing tights.

"That's because Mommy's a lot older, and my legs don't look nearly as cute as yours do in a dress," Jules offered in response, used to her elder daughter's argumentative ways.

Zoey sat down and began to pout, her nose crinkling just like her mother's always did.

"Mommy, I don't like this," Zach tried, tugging once again on his sweater.

"It's just a few minutes, buddy. We just have to take the picture for the Christmas card, and then you guys can get in your jammies and out of these clothes."

Juliet eyed Shawn who smirked at her. "This is what I've been dealing with for the last ten minutes while you were with Kaelyn," he told his wife.

"It's your genes that make our kids so argumentative."

"Daddy gets to wear jeans?" Zoey asked. "Why can't I wear jeans?"

"No, a different kind of jeans, sweetheart," Jules explained. "Can we please just take the picture? This is Kaelyn's first Christmas and I want our Christmas card to be special."

"It's Christmas Eve," Zoey interceded. "Isn't it a little late for a Christmas card?"

Juliet pursed her lips. Damn, her daughter was smart. "Okay, it's a New Years card," she amended. "Either way, it could be really quick so we can put out milk and cookies for Santa and then read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, or it could take a while. Which would you prefer?"

"Quick!" Zach answered.

"Good, then everybody keep your clothes on and sit down," Shawn replied, setting the camera up for the self timer.

Zach and Zoey sat on the couch next to each other and Juliet placed Kaelyn in their laps so she was lying across both of them. She then stood behind the couch and bent her knees slightly to not be so high above her children in the picture.

Shawn hit the button on the camera and quickly made his was next to Juliet. The camera soon clicked and Shawn moved back to check to see how the picture turned out.

"Are we done?" Zoey whined. It was getting to be pretty close to the twins' bed time, and Zoey always got cranky when she was tired.

Shawn looked at the photo on the playback of the camera. "Miracle of all miracles—I think we got it on the first try!" He took the camera to show Juliet to get her approval. She nodded in agreement.

"Okay, munchkins, looks like we're done with the picture," Shawn told his kids, scooping Kaelyn up from the twins' laps.

Immediately Zoey began removing her tights and Zach his sweater vest.

"Okay, guys, you ready to open your one Christmas Eve present?"

"Yeah!" the twins cried excitedly, even though they already knew what it would be.  
>Shawn and Juliet each handed them a box and then together opened one for Kaelyn.<p>

They each got a new pair of pajamas, just as they did every Christmas Eve.

"Go put them on!" Juliet told them, although they were already standing to do so.

As she waited for her kids to scurry back in the room, Juliet began undressing Kaelyn and putting her in her new PJs.

Shawn came up behind her and wrapped his arms around his wife. He stared over her shoulder at their blonde-haired, blue-eyed, baby girl, taking in her perfection.

"We've got pretty awesome kids," Juliet spoke, knowing that was what Shawn was thinking about.

"Yeah," he whispered against her neck. She could then feel his mouth turn up into a smirk. "I'm glad we took these ones home instead of the ones the hospital tried to give us."

Juliet turned and kissed Shawn on the cheek. "I love you."

Juliet finished dressing Kaelyn just as Zach and Zoey skidded into the room and sat down in the couch.

Shawn quickly turned Jules around and kissed her on the lips.

"EWWWW!" the twins yelled out at the sight of their parents kissing.

"I love you too, Jules," Shawn told Juliet softly. "Merry Christmas."

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><p><strong>AN: **

In my family, we always get to open new jammies on Christmas Eve. :)

Oh, and sometime in the future, I'm going to write a multi-chapter story about when Juliet was pregnant with Kaelyn and how the twins react to it all. That might not be for awhile, though, since I already have another full-length story that I'm writing. (But I'm nearing the finish line on that one as far as the chapters I've written [not posted], so I might be able to start soon-ish. Especially since I have 5 weeks off for winter break.)


End file.
